Sunday bus service in Sompting to be terminated

The bus route was launched in 2015 at an event

It was '˜with a lot of regret' that councillors made the '˜difficult decision' to terminate a Sunday bus route through Sompting at a meeting last Wednesday.

Sompting Parish Council fund the 7A bus, which runs between Worthing Town Centre and Lancing via Sompting every two hours on Sundays and Bank Holidays, at an annual cost of £6,000.

But service provider Compass Travel said the service was running at a loss and requested an additional £4,000 a year to keep it going.

Councillor Alun Jones said it was not possible to provide this ‘very significant amount’, considering the council had already set their annual budget.

He said it was a shame that the service would stop at the end of March, having run for 18 months.

“It means that people in the north and west of Sompting will not have easy access to public transport on Sundays and bank holidays,” he said.

“Walking from north Sompting down to the Pulse bus is quite a long way for elderly people.”

He has previously said that although the route was used, it was ‘not remarkably well used.’

The council had resolved to look at alternative transport options, he added, such as a mini bus with a limited route.

Chris Chatfield, managing director of Compass Travel said it was unfortunate but the company had no option but to withdraw the service, as it could not afford to run it at a loss.

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